Family Secrets End in Blood: Son and Mother Convicted in Gary Herbst Murder

Gary Herbst disappeared in 2013; his skull was identified in 2017 in rural Wisconsin using genetic genealogy, prompting investigators to suspect his Minnesota wife Connie and their son Austin. After years of inconsistent stories, a cadaver dog and forensic work pointed to the couple; Austin admitted to shooting his father in 2013 and dumping the body in a Wisconsin forest, while Connie helped cover it up. In 2020 they were charged with second-degree murder; Austin pled guilty to murder and was sentenced to 12 years 6 months, Connie pled guilty to aiding an offender after the fact and was sentenced to 2 years 3 months (released after a few months in 2022). The case drew neighbors’ memories of abuse and raised questions about family loyalty and violence.